Hydraulic brake with auxiliary safety device



March 15, 1949. s. R. TREMQLADA ,4

- V .HYDRAULIC BRAKE WITH AUXILIARY SAFETY DEVICE Filed March 26, 1945 Y :5 Sheets-She et 1 -INVENTOR. G U GLIELMO R. TREMOLADA ATTO RN EY Marh 15, 1949. 2,464,469

HYDRAULIC BRAKE wn'n AUXILIARY SAFETY DEVICE I Filed March 26, 1945 I G; R. TREMOLADA 4 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 v INVENTOR.

eusuzupo' TREMOLADA ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 15,1949

HYDRAULIC BRAKE WITH AUXILIARY SAFETY DEVICE Guglielmo R. Tremolada, Los Angeles, Calif assignor to Emsco Derrick & Equipment Company, Los Angeles, Calif.,

fornia a corporation of Cali- Application March 26, 1945, Serial No. 584,777

My invention relates in general to hydraulic brakes and relates in particular to heavy duty hydraulic brakes such as employed in connection with hoisting drums such as used in the drawworks of well drilling equipment.

In heavy duty hoisting equipment of this character it is customary to employ a pair of brakes, one at each end of the hoisting drum. These brakes are large in diameter and either one of the brakes is capable of stopping andholding the drum against the maximum torque which might be applied. Although the foregoing is true, the brakes are used in multiple for the reason that they are subject to heavy wear or severe is extended by distributing the load between several brakes. In my present invention I employ a pair of brakes which are tightened by force derived from hydraulic cylinders, as disclosed in my issued Patent No. 2,331,517, ranted October 12, 1943. The hydraulic cylinders associated with the separate brakes receive fluid under pressure from a master cylinder which is actuated by ahand lever operated by the driller. The equalization of pressure applied to the brakes through a hydraulic system of this character provides ease and accuracy of control of the brakes and results in maximum usefulness of the brake bands as the result of the substantially equalized distribution of the wear between the brake bands. It is anobject of mypresent invention to provide a hydraulic brake of the character set forth in the foregoing having a safety means which will assure operation of the brakes in event of failure of the hydraulic system.

It is an object of the invention to provide a hydraulic brake system havinga separate fluid pressure potential which is automatically directed into one or more of the brake cylinders in event of failure of the normally used hydraulic system of the brakes.

A further object of the invention is to provide a dual hydraulic brake system of the character referred to herein having a separate source of fluid potential and means for directing fluid under pressure from this fluid potential into the cylinder associated with one of the brake bands in event of breakage or failure of the hydraulic conduit leading to the remaining brake cylinder. Accordingly, should a pressure conduit leading to one of the brake cylinders be ruptured so as to lose the pressure in the hydraulic system associated with both of the brakes, my invention will operate to isolate or shut ofi the ruptured conduit and then deliver fluid under pressure usage and the working life of the brakes 16 Claims. (Cl. 188-151) 2 unbroken conduit to the through this remaining through the remaining cylinder which is fed conduit.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a .hydraulic braking system having a master cylinder which is connected to delivery conduits through a pair of three way valves, these delivery conduits extending respectively to the hydraulic cylinders employed for actuation of the brake bands. A source of potential fluid pressure-such, for example, as a tank of oxygen under pressureis connected to both of the three-way valves, so that by actuation of these three-way valves, the delivery conduits will be cut off from'connection with the master cylinder and will be connected to the source of fluid pressure so that pressure from this source will be then delivered through the delivery conduits to the hydraulic cylinders to actuate the same.

- A further object of the invention is to provide a brake system of the character described in the preceding paragraph, wherein the auxiliarypressure may be applied and released, at the will of the operator, thereby giving a control of the brakes similar to normal control. One of the advantages of this arrangement is that should there be a failure of the hydraulic brake system while a string of pipe is in the well, the auxiliary pressure system of the brakes can be used during the time the string of pipe is removed from the well.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple and effective valve operating mechanism for the three-way transfer valves of the auxiliary pressure fluid control, automatically actuated when the hand lever of the hydraulic brake system reaches and/or passes beyond a prescribed position near the end of its possible travel,

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be brought out in the following part of the specification.

Referring to the drawings which are for illustrative purposes only,

Fig. l is a diagrammatic view showing a preferred form of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view, to enlarged scale, showing the valve mechanism of the invention.

Fig. '3 isa side view of Fig. 2 taken from the postion of the arrow 3 of Fig. 2.

' In Fig. 1 I show a pair of brake bands in respectively surrounding right and left hand brake drums ll. The dead ends l2 of the brake bands ID are connected to the upper ends of slide rods l3, the lower ends of which rods [3 are supported by pivots l4. On each bar I3 there is a hydraulic cylinder device I 5 having a stationary cylinder l6 and a movable piston H which surrounds the bar l3 and slides upwardly thereon when fluid under pressure is directed into the cylinder 16. The piston I! is connected by a link l8 with the movable end |9 of the brake band l0 so as to tighten the brake band around the associated drum The brake system has a master cylinder provided with a piston 2| connected through linkage and lever means 22 with a brake operating shaft 23 having thereon a handle or lever 24 whereby the shaft 23 may be rotated for the purpose of actuating the brakes. When the brake lever 23 is moved forward, as indicated by the arrow 25, in Fig. 1, the linkage 22 will move the piston 2| in the cylinder 20 and hydraulic fluid will be forced under pressure through a conduit 26 and branch conduits 2! to transfer valves 28 which are connected through conduits 29 and 29a respectively with the left hand and right hand hydraulic cylinder devices I5. The transfer valves 28 are shown as being of the three-way type, and each of these valves 28 has a valve body 30 adapted to be rotated by a projecting handle 3 The valve bodies 30 have passages or ports 32 therein which connect the conduits 21 with the conduits 29 and 29a when the bodies 30 are in the positions shown in Fig. 1. Accordingly, fluid pressure from the master cylinder 20 may be transmitted through the associated conduits 26, 2t, 29, and 29a and the valve passages 32 to both of the hydraulic cylinder devices l5, whereupon the brake bands ill will be tightened around the drums H.

A fluid pressure potential is provided. Although this source of fluid pressure may comprise a steam boiler or other chamber in which fluid is held under pressure, I prefer to use an oxygen bottle 33 whichis connected through a conduit 33 with the inlet 35 of an automatic selector valve 36. The selector valve 36 has right hand and left hand outlets 31, which are respectively connected through conduits 38 and 38a, which conduits extend separately to the ports 39 and 39a in the casings of the transfer valves 28. When the valve bodies 30 are in the positions shown in Fig. l, the ports 39 and 39a are blocked thereby and no flow of fluid pressure from the conduits 38 and 38a may occur.

0n the operating shaft 23 there are valve actuating levers 40 positioned so that they may engage the levers 3| of the valves 28. These actuating levers 40 are positioned on the shaft 23 so as to project downwardly as shown by dotted lines 40' in Fig. 3 when the lever 24 is erect, so that during the normal operation of the brake they will not engage the levers 3|. The levers 46 are so positioned that they will engage the levers 3| only when the brake lever 24 reaches a predetermined position near the end of its movement, that is to say, when the lever 24 is swung in clockwise direction from the position in which it is shown in Fig. 3, to near horizontal position. This position is never reached by the brake lever 24 during the normal operation of the hydraulic brake system for the reason that the fluid pressure delivered by the master cylinder 20 will actuate the brakes prior to the time the handle 24 I reaches this prescribed position. Should there be a loss of hydraulic fluid from the master cylinder 2|! and the hydraulic system associated therewith which would result in the normal hydraulic operation of the brakes, and would of course permit the brake lever 24 to be moved into and through the hereinbefore prescribed position for the engagement of the actuating levers 40 with the valve lever 3|, the levers 40 will engage and move the lever 3|, thereby rotating the valve bodies 30 in counterclockwise direction, Fig. 1, so as to bring the valve passages 32 into positions connecting the ports 39 and 39a with the conduits 29 and 29a, whereupon fluid under pressure will flow from the pressure source 33 through the conduits 29 and 29a. to the cylinders |6 of the hydraulic devices l5, thereby moving the pistons ll so as to actuate the brakes. It will be understood that at this time the valve bodies 36 will close off sists of a radial wall 4| supporting an upper roller 42 which extends leftward and a lower roller 43 which extends rightward. Each lever 46 has a lever arm 44 positioned so that as the lever 40 swings upward, its end portion will engage the lower side of the upper roller 42 and will swing the lever 3| upward from the dotted line position 3|a thereof, Fig. 3, into the position in which the lever 3| is shown in full lines. Each lever 40 has a projecting finger 46 in oifset rela tion and positioned so as to lie above the lower roller 43 as the lever 3| swings upwardly toward its raised position shown in full lines, there being a space 41 between the end of the lever 40 and the finger 46 in which the plate 4| of the lever 40 may swing. The finger 46, accordingly, is now posi tioned above the roller 43 as shown in Fig. 3 so that when the lever 40 swings downward from the position in which it is shown in Fig. 3, this finger 46 will engage the roller 43 forcing the same downward to rotate the lever 3| into its initial position, shown by dotted lines 3|, wherein the body 30 of the valve device 28 will be positioned as shown in Fig. 1 and the valve passage 32 will be returned to its initial position.

The automatic selector valve 36 has a cylindric bore 50 with valve ports 5| and 52 at the opposite ends thereof which communicate respectively with the conduits 38 and 38a. Along the front side thereof the selector valve 36 has a passage 53 which communicates with the bore 50 through relatively small ports 54 and 55. This passage 53 has the inlet 35 communicating therewith, such inlet 35 being connected to the conduit 34 so as to receive fluid under pressure from the fluid source 33. A valve piston 56 is sl-idable in the bore 50 and is normally maintained in centralized position between the ports 54 and 55 by a spring pressed detent ball 51. The ends of the piston 56 are formed so as to provide valves for closing the ports 5| and 52. When the pressure against the opposite ends of the valve piston 56 are unbalanced to a suflicient extent to overcome the restraining effect of the detent ball 51, the valve piston 56 will be shifted axially from the centralized position in which it is shown, thereby closing one of the ports 5| or 52. The ends of the housing of the selector valve 36 are provided withplugs 36' which may be removed so that a bar may be inserted to shift the valve piston back into centralized position after it has been shifted laterally.

The manner in which the automatic selector valve 36 cooperates with the rest of the mechanism will be perceived from the following explanation of one utility of the invention. new; be supposed, for example, that the conduit. 2. ia

has become ruptured so that there will immediate loss of hydraulic fluid from the whydraulic lines which are fed by the cylinder 20. This will permit the handle to rotate forwardly to the end of its range of movement, and the levers 40 will be swung from the dotted line positions 40' thereof into the positions in which they are shown in full lines in Fig. 3, the levers ill by this movement rotating the valve levers ll upward into the raised positions in which they are shown in Fig. 3, thereby rotating the valve bodies 30 so, as to bring the passages into-positions wherein the conduit 38 will be connected to the conduit 29, and the conduit 38a will be connected with the conduit 29a. This willresultin allow 54 and 55 of the selector valve 38, which flow" will continue through the ports 5| and 52 and-the conduits 38 and 38a. Since the conduit 23a, which is at this time connected to the conduit 38a, has been ruptured, there will be no build up of pressure in the port 52 of the selector valve 35,"

to resist the pressure build up which occurs in the port 5| of the selector valve 38, and in -the space lying adjacent the leftward end of the piston valve 56. The greater pressure applied to the leftward end of the piston valve'56 as compared to the pressure at the rightward end thereof will result in a shifting of the piston 56 rightwardly so as to close the port 55 and the port 52.

of fluid from the container 33 through the ports nect the ports 39 and 3% respectively with the ,ports 29 and 29a,

said master cylinder with said brake cylinder; a

source of fluid pressure; and means automatically operating to disconnect said brake cylinder with respect to the master cylinder and connect it to said source of fluid pressure when said movable member is moved beyond said operating position.

2. In a hydraulic brake, the combination of a brake cylinder; a master cylinder; a movable member connected to said master cylinder so as to actuate the same, said member being movable from a starting position through a prescribed position to an end position; a three-way valve having first, second, and body for connecting said first and second ports when said valve body is in its first position or connecting said second and third ports when said valve body is in its second position; a source of fluid under pressure; conduit means connecting There will then be no flow'of fluid pressure fromi the container 33 to the ruptured conduit 29a, and the pressure which now passes through the selector valve 36 and the leftward transfer valve 28, Figs. 1 and 2, into the .conduit 29 will actuate the left hand brake cylinder l5, Fig. l, and there-' by constrict the associated brake band l0 around the left hand brake drum H to bring the cable spool to a stop.

said master cylinder to said first port; conduit means connecting said second port to said brake cylinder; conduit means connecting said source of fluid under pressure to said third port; and

' means providing an operative connection between said movable member and said valve body where- The left hand brake, which has been actuated as explained in the preceding paragraph, may be released and reapplied a number of consecutive times, this number depending upon the volumeof fluid maintained in the container 33.. Should-the operator desire to release the left hand brake so as to permit rotation of the cable spool, he will lift upon the operating lever 24,.therfleby rotating the actuating levers ll) downward. from the positions in which they are shown in'li'lggs, such movement of the levers Ill producing.. a

by said valve body will be moved from its first position into its second position when said movable member is moved into said end position thereof.

3. In a hydraulic brake, the combination of V a brake cylinder; a master cylinder; a movable member connected to said master cylinder so as toactuate the same, said member being movable from a starting position through a prescribed position to an end position; a three-way valve having first, second, and third ports and a valve body for connecting said first and second ports when said valve body is in its first position or connecting said second and third ports when said downward rotation of the levers 3| so as to rotate the valve bodies 30, Fig. 1, back into the pQ iu 'e in which they are shown in this figure. This will connect the conduit 29 with the conduits 21, which are now connected-through the right hand valve 28 with the conduit 29a, so that fluid under pressure may flow from the left hand hydraulic cylinder l5 to the ruptured conduit'29a and escape to the exterior through the rupture therein. The release of fluid pressure from the left hand hydraulic cylinder l5 will result in release of the left hand brake. During this release-of pressure there will beno escape of fluid pressure from the container 33 for the reason that-the valve bodies 30 will close the ports 39 and 39a. Reapplication of the left. hand (brake may be accomplished by again moving the operating lever 24 into its extreme position, raising the actuating levers 40 and rotating the valve levers 3| upward toward the 'position indicated by full lines in Fig, 3, to rotate the valve bodies 30 again into positions wherein the passages 32 will convalve body is in its second position; a source of fluid under pressure; conduit means connecting :said master cylinder to said first port; conduit j' means connecting said second port to said brake cylinder; conduit means connecting said source .of fluid under pressure to said third port; and

,;means providing an operative connection between said movable member and said valve body wherea by said valve body will be moved back and forth between second and first positions as said movable member is moved back and forth between its starting and end positions.

4. In a hydraulic brake, the combination of:

"'a master cylinder; a pair of brake cylinders; a

' movable member connected to said master cylinder so as to actuate the same, said movable member, during the normal operation of. the brake, being moved directly against the reaction of the fluid pressure in said master cylinder and being movable from a starting position to an end position; conduit means connecting said master cylinder with said brake cylinders; a source of third ports and a valve 7 fluid under pressure; and means operating automatically to disconnect the master cylinder with respect to said brake cylinder and connect said source of fluid under pressure to said conduit means in response to movement of said movable member into said end position thereof.

5. In a hydraulic brake, the combination of a master cylinder; a pair of brake cylinders; a movable member connected to said master cylinder so as to actuate the same, said movable member being movable from a starting position to an end position; a pair of three-way valves, each having a first port, a second port and a third port and a valve body for connecting said first and second ports when said body is in its first position and connecting said second and third ports when said body is in its second position; ducts connecting said master cylinder with said first ports; conduits connecting said second ports with said brake cylinder; a source of fluid under pressure; duct means connecting said source of fluid under pressure to said third ports; and means providing operative connection between said movable member and said valve bodies whereby said valve bodies will be moved from said first positions to said second positions thereof when said movable member is moved into its end position.

6. In a hydraulic brake,- the combination of: a master cylinder; a pair of brake cylinders; a movable member connected to said master cylinder so as to actuate the same, said movable mem- 8 spectively with said third ports of said threeway valves.

8. In a hydraulic brake, the combination of: a brake cylinder; a master cylinder; a movable member connected to said master cylinder so as to actuate the same, said member being movable from a starting position through a prescribed position to an end position; a three-way valve having first, second, and third ports and a valve body for connecting said first and second ports when said valve body is in its first position or connecting said second and third vports when said valve body is in its second position; an operating member connected to said valve body for moving the same; a source of fluid under pressure; conduit means connecting said master cylinder to said first port; conduit means conber being movable from a starting position to an end position; a pair of three-way valves, each having a first port, a second port and a third port and a valve body for connecting first and second ports when said body is in its first position and connecting said second and third ports when said body is in its second position; ducts connecting said master cylinder with said first ports; conduits connecting said second ports with said brake cylinder; a source of fluid under pressure; duct means connecting said source of fluid under pressure to said third ports; means providing operative connection between said movable member and said valve bodies whereby said valve bodies will be moved from said first positions to said second positions thereof when said movable member is moved into its end position; and means operating automatically in response to rupture of one of I said conduits to cut ofl the flow of fluid thereinto from said source of fluid under pressure when said valve bodies are moved into the second positions thereof.

- 7. In a hydraulic brake, the combination of: a master cylinder; a pair of brake cylinders; a movable member connected to said master cylinder so as to actuate the same, said movable member being movable from a starting position to an end position; a pair of three-way valves, each having a first port, a second port and a third port and a valve body for connecting first and second ports when said body is in its first position and connecting said second and third ports when said body is in its second position; ducts connecting said master cylinder with said first ports; conduits connecting said second ports with said brake cylinder; a source of fluid under pressure; an automatic selector valve having an inlet port and a pair of outlet ports normally connected to said inlet port, and valve means operating automatically in response to a prescribed pressure differential between said outlet ports to close the outlet port in which the lower pressure exists; and duct means connecting said outlet ports remeeting said second port to said brake cylinder; conduit means connecting said source of fluid under pressure to said third port; and an actuating member moved back and forth by said movable member, adapted to engage and move said operating member when said movable member moves into said end position, whereby said valve body will be moved from its first position into its second position as said movable member is moved into its end position.

9. In a hydraulic brake, the combination of: a pair of brake cylinders; a master cylinder; a movable member connected to said master cylinder so as to actuate the same, said member, during the normal operation of the brake, being moved directly against the reaction of the fluid pressure in said master cylinder and being movable froma starting position through a prescribed position to an end position; a pair of conduit means connecting said master cylinder with said brake cylinders; a source of fluid pressure; means automatically operating to connect said source of fluid pressure to said brake cylinders when said movable member is moved into said end position; and means operating automatically in response to rupture of one of said conduit means to cut off the flow of the fluid thereinto from said source of pressure.

10. In a hydraulic brake, the combination of: a pair of brake cylinders; a master cylinder; a movable member connected to said master cylinder soas to actuate the same, said movable member, during the normal operation of the brake. being moved directly against the reaction of the fluid pressure in said master cylinder and being movable from a starting position to an end position; a pair of conduit means connecting said master cylinder withsaid brake cylinders; a source of fluid under pressure; means automatically operating to connect said source of fluid under pressure to said conduit means in response to movement of said movable member into said end position thereof; and means operating automatically in response to rupture of one of said conduit means to cut off the flow of the fluid thereinto from said source of pressure.

11. In a hydraulic brake, the combination of a brake cylinder; a movable control member arranged so as to be moved from a starting position through a prescribed position to an end position; conduit means leading to said brake cylinder; mechanism operated by said control member as it is moved from said starting position toward said-prescribed position to deliver fluid under pressure through said conduit means to said brake cylinder; a source of fluid pressure; and means automatically operating to disconnect said brake cylinder with respect to said mechanism and.

meet it to said source of fluid pressure whenam said starting position toward said end posi-' n to deliver fluid under pressure through said nduit means to said brake cylinders; a source fluid under pressure; and means operating tomatically to disconnect said mechanism with spect to said brake cylinders and connect said urce of fluid under pressure to said conduit aans in response to movement of said movable ember into said end position thereof. 13. In a hydraulic brake of the character der'ibed, the combination of: a pair of brake cylders; a pair of conduit means leading respec- Iely to said brake cylinders; a movable con-- 01 member arranged so as to be moved from a arting position through a prescribed position an end position; means operated by said con- 01 member as it is moved from said starting posim toward said prescribed position to deliver a rst fluid under pressure through at least one said conduit means to at least one of said brake 'linders; a second source of fluid under pres- Lre; and means operating in response to moveent of said control member into said end posion to cut of! delivery of said first fluid under ressure to at least one of said brake cylinders id to connect said second source of fluid presu'e to at least one of said brake cylinders, wherev at least one of said brake cylinders will be :tuated.

14. In a hydraulic brake of the character de- :ribed. the combination of: a pair of brake cyllders; a pair of conduit means leading respecvely to said brake cylinders; a movable control lember arranged so as to be moved from a arting position to an end position: means operted by said control member as it is moved from said starting position toward said end position to deliver a first fluid under pressure through at least one of said conduit means to at least one of said brake cylinders; a second source of fluid under pressure; and means operating in response to movement of said control member into said end position to cut off delivery of said first fluid under pressure to at least one of said brake cylinders and to connect said second source of fluid pressure to at least one of said brake cylinders, whereby at least one of said brake cylinders,

will be actuated.

15.1n a hydraulic brake, the combination of: a plurality of brake cylinders; manually operable means for normally applying fluid under pressure to said brake cylinders; a source of fluid pressure; means actuated in response to the occur rence of decreased pressure in one of said brake cylinders to connect said brake cylinders with said source of fluid pressure; and automatic sclector means operative to disconnect said one of a said brake cylinders relative to said source of fluid pressure.

16. In a hydraulic brake, the combination of: a plurality of brake cylinders; manually operable means for normally applying fluid under pressure .to said brake cylinders; a source of fluid pres sure; means actuated in response to the occur-- rence of decreased pressure in one of said brake cylinders to connect said brake cylinders with said sourceof fluid pressure; and selector means responsive to said decrease of pressure in said one 0! said brake cylinders for disconnecting it with respect to said source of fluid pressure.

GUGLIELMO Rt TREMOLADA.

REFERENCES @I'EED The following references are of record in the die of this patent:

Bradbury Nov. 1, 1932 

